]]>By David Beers (CruiseReviews editor) — Over the weekend a cruise review was posted at my website which lambasted Royal Caribbean because they denied boarding to the person writing the review. In the review the person claimed Royal Caribbean’s cruise documents were vague about what was needed to prove citizenship and identity, and so he said he called them.

According to the reviewer, the cruise line told him all he needed for his closed loop voyage was a photo ID for adults, and just a birth certificate for minors. And so off he went to Miami for a cruise aboard Majesty Of The Seas, where he was denied boarding for not having both a photo ID and proof of citizenship such as his birth certificate.

Now, I do not know what was said in his phone call with the cruise line. He claims that at the port, cruise line employees told him the requirement for a birth certificate was only company policy. However, that is not correct. The Closed Loop Exemption to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires those without a passport or it’s equivalent to show both a government issued photo ID and proof of citizenship such as the birth certificate. Thus, the cruise line would be breaking the law to allow him to board. This is clearly communicated both on the Customs & Border Protection website, and on the Royal Caribbean website.

But here we have a disappointed and angry man who lost his money and his cruise, since no refunds were offered because he failed to comply with the rules (at least in Royal Caribbean’s opinion). And while it is apparent he failed to use an agent, or consult cruise websites for guidance, he nontheless was hosed because he didn’t understand the “Closed Loop” exemption.

The Closed Loop exemption was issued to appease those who whined about having to get passports, and in my opinion it was a mistake. When you start making exceptions you open the barn doors for problems.

A Closed Loop voyage must start and end at the same U.S. port, and can only visit designated countries within the Western Hemisphere. Even if a voyage starts at one U.S. port, but ends at another U.S. port, it is not a closed loop voyage and therefore passports are required. Mobile to Mobile is a closed loop cruise. Miami to Miami is also a closed loop cruise. New York to Miami is not. Leaving from Vancouver and ending in Anchorage? Sorry, you’ll need a passport.

The bottom line is you don’t need to play games when it comes to providing adequate documentation for a cruise. My strong advice is to get and maintain a book-type passport. Don’t waste time with a passport card. Only the book passport is valid for air travel, and who knows when you’ll have to leave a cruise early and fly home?

A passport is good for 10 years. I know the initial cost isn’t cheap – especially for a family – but the stark truth is it is the price of wanting to travel in today’s world and you might as well get used to it and stop the protestations and procrastination.